I’ve always found a mystical element in Mount Veeder fruit that always draws me in. It’s the largest AVA within Napa Valley but the rugged terrain limits production to just 1.3% of Napa Valley grapes. Yielding small, powerful berries, the sandstone and shale soils set this Mountain apart from all others in Napa. It’s also the coolest Mountain which allows the grapes to have a longer hang-time so they can develop into something majestic. One of the area’s hallmarks is the fine-grained tannins, along with brambly Mountain berries, stony minerality, and exceptional concentration. The only thing keeping us from enjoying Mount Veeder wine every day is their scarcity and the often high-elevation price tag. Of the ten 2014 Mount Veeder Cabernets that I found listed in the Wine Spectator, the average price was well over $100/btl. This Calculated Risk is sure to pay off…
A calculated blend of Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon this remarkable representation of Mount Veeder hails from a vintage unanimously recognized for its unrivaled quality. Exhibiting all of the characteristics of Mount Veeder fruit, from the stunning weight and concentration to the stony minerality, mystical bramble fruits and floral, this wine has it all. The only risk will be waiting too long to secure your case…
CALCULATED RISK
PROPRIETARY RED
2014 MOUNT VEEDER
Retails at: $65.00/btl
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Winery Notes: “Coming from the exclusive Mt. Veeder appellation, where almost all work is done by hand due to the rugged and steep terrain, this elegant wine offers beautiful notes of black raspberry, currant and tobacco. Tannins are well integrated and beautifully balanced.”
2016 G of Château Guiraud Bordeaux White
G of CHÂTEAU GUIRAUD
2016 BORDEAUX WHITE
BORDEAUX, FRANCE
Variety is the spice of life and while California, Sancerre and New Zealand offer Sauvignon Blancs with bright, sometimes searing acidity and super-crisp flavors, Bordeaux brings a more rich, opulent and lime-infused style that’s impossible to ignore. Detailed, round and broad are all perfect descriptors for Chateau Guiraud’s Bordeaux White which opens up to limestone-scented baked yellow-apples, mandarin orange, tangerine, wet stone and crème brûlée. A palate quenching kaleidoscope of finely detailed flavors keeps you coming back for more, and with a 90-93 Point score from the Wine Spectator, I wouldn’t hesitate to secure a case.
Château Guiraud isn’t just one of Bordeaux’s preeminent producers of First Growth Sauternes, they also produce stunning dry whites wines. A blend of both Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon, the 2016 is remarkably expressive, rich and assertive. If you haven’t experienced a dry white from this renowned wine region, here’s a terrific opportunity to try one of the best.
G of CHÂTEAU GUIRAUD
2016 BORDEAUX WHITE
BORDEAUX, FRANCE
Your Price: $19.99/btl
From The Wine Spectator: “This is still a bit tight, with a racy lemon pith frame around the core of white peach, tangerine, chamomile and straw flavors. Shows weight and zip, and should fill out nicely.” 90-93 Points
Customers that enjoy G of Chateau Guiraud’s Bordeaux Blanc may also enjoy these two terrific white wines…
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ALMA de CATTLEYA
2017 SAUVIGNON BLANC
SONOMA COUNTY
Your Price: $19.99/btl
Immeasurable talent… gifted… Midas touch… These would all be fitting descriptors of winemaker Bibiana Gonzalez Rave. Her artistry has allowed her to climb the ranks and become winemaker at Pahlmeyer… She’s also made wines at Lynmar and has extensive experience making wine in France. Bibiana applies her vast skill-set and remarkable abilities and crafts wines that exceed all expectations…
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DOMAINE LA CROIX
2017 SANCERRE
SAINT-LAURENT
Your Price: $29.99/btl
Created from nearly half-century old vines, this wine bursts onto your palate with textural bliss, and a well balanced, keen thread of acidity that leaves your palate craving another sip. A pure expression of Sancerre, this immensely appealing 100% Sauvignon Blanc (as all white Sancerre’s are) is highly nuanced, intriguing and loaded with pristine fruit and rocky minerals.
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2014 Horse & Plow Blockhouse Vineyard Grenache
HORSE & PLOW
2014 GRENACHE
BLOCKHOUSE VINEYARD
A farmer needs faith that a bountiful harvest will come, and sometimes when trying new wines, faith plays a role when discovering one that could completely change your perspective on an unfamiliar varietal. It just might open up new fields of curiosity and paths to enjoyment. Horse & Plow’s single vineyard Grenache is from Yountville, just a stone’s throw from our shop, and it completely rocked my world when I tasted it. This beautifully proportioned and profoundly pleasing red should be the wikipedia reference for California Grenache. With a round, velvet lined core, the 2014 envelopes your palate in a bumper crop of plump, juicy flavors with red plum, wild berries, mineral, cocoa and subtle spice. The only down-side comes from the realization that there were only 6 barrels produced.Unearthed by husband and wife winemaking team Chris Condos and Suzanne Hagins, who combined their talents to really shine in this remarkable expression of Grenache. Chris began his career as winemaker at Pine Ridge, and he’s also consulting winemaker at Kathryn Kennedy, and Suzanne gained valuable experience in the cellar at DeLoach, David Bruce and Goldeneye wineries… I strongly recommend filling your saddle bags with as much as you can carry… You’ll be glad you did.
HORSE & PLOW
2014 GRENACHE
BLOCKHOUSE VINEYARD
Retails at: $34.00/btl
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Winery Notes: “Lovely notes of cherry and vanilla, wild herbs and black plum compose this bright and fruity red with plenty of spice to balance.”
Customers that enjoy Horse & Plow’s Grenache may also enjoy these two terrific Reds…
2015 Ty Caton “Ty’s Red” Sonoma Proprietary Red
TY CATON
2015 PROPRIETARY RED
TY’S RED, SONOMA
You may already be one of the many people who repeatedly orders case after case of Ty Caton wines from us, and if not, you might want to start. The reason being, Ty proves every vintage that great wine doesn’t need to be expensive. His 2015 Proprietary Red has “crowd pleaser” written all over it. A tell-tale sign of this wine’s popularity is made obvious by the number of bottles we drink personally (grin). At under $25, this wine oozes with fun-filled charm as it serenades your senses with lush black raspberry fruit, chocolate covered cherries, holiday spices and Japanese tea. Making a grand entrance from the newly recognized Moon Mountain AVA, which lies on the Sonoma side of Mount Veeder, Ty Caton’s talent for blending will make you grin too. Merging Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Syrah and Merlot in a style that’s both intriguing and one that makes you want to come back for another sip, the 2015 is really drinking beautifully. This wine is filled with qualities hard to find at this modest price point, so if you’re looking for a blend that delivers weekend quality at a weekday price, we’re certain you’ll like this one…
TY CATON
2015 PROPRIETARY RED
TY’S RED, SONOMA
Retails at: $36.00/btl
Your Price: $24.99/btl
YOU SAVE 30%
Winery Notes: “With savory aromas and a deep luscious color, this much-loved wine strokes your palate with flavors of dark cherry, blackberry and cassis. The thick velvety texture gives way to toasty oak and finishes with just a hint of chocolate. Enjoy with your favorite grilled meats.”
Customers that would enjoy Ty Caton’s Ty’s Red may also enjoy these two outstanding Reds…
2015 Leto Cellars Old Vine St. Helena Sauvignon Blanc
LETO CELLARS
2015 SAUVIGNON BLANC
OLD VINE, ST. HELENA
What is terroir? It refers to all of the environmental factors that collectively contribute to a wine’s character and flavors. Things like climate, farming practices, soil type, etc. Reflecting terroir, older vines often provide the best representation of their unique characteristics because the root systems are deeper, allowing more complexity to flow from the earth. Leto’s Old Vine Sauvignon Blanc is a perfect example. Originating from half-century old vines from a single vineyard in Napa Valley’s iconic St. Helena AVA, this is a Sauvignon Blanc with a clear and vibrant voice… Remarkably intriguing, hedonistic and full of life, Leto’s 2015 Sauvignon Blanc draws you in with yellow orchard fruits, ripe pear, orange peel, chalk and minerals.
Created by Brad Warner, the owner/winemaker who has been making wine for over a 1/2 century, Brad’s talent shows in this brilliant interpretation of St Helena Sauvignon Blanc. Arising from the Varozza Vineyard on Pratt Avenue in St Helena, the older vines yield just 1 1/2 – 2 1/2 tons per acre of stunningly compelling fruit. At just $22/btl, one taste and you’re not going to want to LET it gO…
LETO CELLARS
2015 SAUVIGNON BLANC
OLD VINE, ST. HELENA
Your Price: $21.99/btl
Tasting Notes: “This is a bright yet rich white with Bosc pear, ripe honeydew melon and exotic passionfruit that transitions into a limeade and lemon custard mid palate with liquid minerals on the finish. It is an enticing, mouth quenching Sauvignon Blanc that keeps you begging for another sip.”
93 Points, Kevin M. Vogt, Master Sommelier
Customers who enjoy Leto’s Sauvignon Blanc may also enjoy these two terrific wines from Leto Cellars..
2014 Bibbiano Riserva Chianti Classico
As much as I love the innovative and forward styles of New World wines (wines from countries where Vitis Vinifera or wine grapes did NOT originate), there’s something to be said about a winery that’s been around in the Old World (think Europe) since 1865. With trials and tribulations that span more than 150 years, many of the best wines in the Old World give you that feeling of antiquity and historical relevance when you taste them. I gained that very impression when I tasted Bibbiano’s Chianti Classico Riserva. With rock-solid poise, immense depth and precisely delineated flavors, the wine’s powerfully complex dark fruits, spices and subtle smoke are classic to the Old World style, and are intermixed with a newfound love and appreciation for a region that produces some of the best wines in the world.
Created from 100% Sangiovese and aged for the required 24 months before bottling, this wine has a lovely dense and satiny texture that comes lined with spices, dried flowers and cassis. At under thirty per bottle this Riserva has everything that I look for in great Chianti Classico. I wouldn’t wait for the scores to come out before securing your case, because there are few cases imported of this stunning wine.
BIBBIANO
2014 RISERVA
CHIANTI CLASSICO
Your Price: $29.99/btl
Winery Notes: “2014 Bibbiano Chianti Classico Riserva is a well-balanced, flavorful wine that is especially good for the vintage. It offers attractive red cherries and berries and spicy, garrique and lapsang suchong smoky tea notes on the nose and palate. It has a silky attack, a well-balanced palate and a persistent finish.”
Customers who enjoy Bibbiano’s Chianti Classico Riserva, may also enjoy these two terrific Italian wines…
2017 Domain La Croix Saint-Laurent Sancerre
DOMAINE LA CROIX SAINT-LAURENT
2017 SANCERRE
LOIRE VALLEY, FRANCE
The best Sancerre white wines are fresh, bright and full of energy, which is why they complement such a wide variety of foods. While Chardonnay can sometimes be too heavy as a cocktail wine, Sancerre offers a great solution. Old Vine Sancerre adds another dimension of complexity, with even more dynamic and intriguing flavors and Domaine La Croix Saint-Laurent is an absolutely perfect example. Created from nearly half-century old vines, this wine bursts onto your palate with textural bliss, and a well balanced, keen thread of acidity that leaves your palate craving another sip. A pure expression of Sancerre, this immensely appealing 100% Sauvignon Blanc (as all white Sancerre’s are) is highly nuanced, intriguing and loaded with pristine fruit and rocky minerals. If you’re searching for a delicious World-Class white wine that will set the standard for a non-Chardonnay… this is it.
DOMAINE LA CROIX
SAINT-LAURENT
2017 SANCERRE
LOIRE VALLEY, FRANCE
Retails at: $34.00/btl
Your Price: $29.99/btl
Winery Note: “Very pungent nose, floral, stony, stone fruits. Supple, full and nervy mouthfeel, very complex, with flavors of tangerine, kumquat, nectarine. Complex, structured and balanced, with a super long finish. A wine of great energy, brightness and vibrancy.”
Customers that enjoy Domaine La Croix’s Sancerre Blanc may also enjoy these two terrific white wines…
2014 Matias Santa Lucia Highlands Chardonnay
MATIAS
2014 CHARDONNAY
SANTA LUCIA HIGHLANDS
In winemaking, two can sometimes be better than one… When combining two of the most iconic vineyards in the Santa Lucia Highlands, the tension created between the two sites can create a stunningly complex flavor performance, with the distinctions from each site filling in where the other might not, and in the end balancing each-other out in a way that you can only get from multiple sites. The 2014 Matias Santa Lucia Highlands Chardonnay is an absolute perfect example. A remarkable fusion of Sierra Mar and Soberanes fruit, this Chardonnay truly has it all. We weren’t the only ones that loved it… Robert Parker and the Wine Enthusiast gave this beauty a 90 Point Score.
The statement about two sometimes being better than one doesn’t just stop at the vineyard. This sensational Chardonnay was co-authored by talented winemaking-duo Dan Fitzgerald, who worked at Williams-Selyem and John Harley, who worked at Donum Estate… Calling on the talents and expertise from both of them, they’re able to create a Chardonnay that stands out among the rest. Don’t be fooled by the low price, this Chardonnay tastes like it should be about double the price…
MATIAS
2014 CHARDONNAY
SANTA LUCIA HIGHLANDS
Retails at: $35/btl
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“... shows butter, sea salt and caramel on the nose, balanced by tangerine and faint jasmine aromas. The wine is elegant and easy to like, with Meyer lemon and prominent-but-not- overpowering honey butter on the palate, and a pink lemonade touch that carries into the finish.”
90 Points
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“… Clean, straight and focused, with bright acidity, medium-bodied richness and notes of citrus blossom, crushed rock and white peach, this beauty is elegant, beautifully fresh and crisp on the palate. It’s a great value and one to drink over the coming 2-3 years.”
90 Points
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Customers who enjoy the Matias Santa Lucia Highlands Chardonnay may also enjoy these two outstanding wines from Matias…
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MATIAS
2014 CHARDONNAY
SOBERANES VINEYARD
Retails at: $50.00/btl
Your Price: Join Our Insider List to Unlock Special Offers From Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate: “… the 2014 Chardonnay Soberanes Vineyard is a richer, more substantial effort that gives up lots of ripe apple, citrus blossom and minerality in a medium to full-bodied, layered and nicely balance package. It should keep nicely through 2022.” 91 Points
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MATIAS
2014 PINOT NOIR
SANTA LUCIA HIGHLANDS
Retails at: $40/btl
Your Price: Join Our Insider List to Unlock Special Offers From Wine Enthusiast: “Dark and concentrated pomegranate and rosebud aromas meet with juniper and sweet pine needle on the nose of this bottling. The attack is a clean and flavorful, mixing dried cranberry and tangy cherry with thyme, marjoram and peppercorn, culminating in a camphor-like finish.” 92 Points
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2016 Cru9 ‘As Ever’ Russian River Valley Chardonnay
CRU9 AS EVER…
2016 CHARDONNAY
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY
If you’ve been reading my emails this year, you already know how I feel about Cru9. It’s absolutely one of the best new discoveries for us this year, and with a quality-to-price ratio that you simply will not believe. The 2016 Russian River Valley Chardonnay is created from a secret vineyard source that also sells to several high-end producers, but due to a non-disclosure agreement, the fruit source needs to be kept secret. One taste, however, will tell you everything you need to know. This wine competes with the best $50 Chardonnays that I’ve tasted, it’s startling how good it is.
With just 4 barrels produced, you can almost taste the attention to every minute detail that went into producing this wine. It was aged for 11 months sur lie, a French term meaning literally ‘on the sediment’, the sur lie style plays a large role in contributing to this wine’s rich, opulent texture. Notably Cru9 also gives back and helps support two nonprofit women shelters, Rudy’s Place in CA and House of Hope in IA. Every time you buy a Cru9 bottle, you also help level the playing field for survivors of human trafficking, domestic abuse, and homelessness.
CRU9 AS EVER…
2016 CHARDONNAY
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY
Retails at: $38.00/btl
Tasting Notes: “This lovely, graciously styled Chardonnay has a beautiful nose of orange marmalade, lemon blossom, citrus oil, wild flowers and chamomile tea. The palate follows through with a mouth watering array of ripe pear, toasted hazelnut, butter cream, subtle toasted oak notes, combined with lively acidity. Nuanced, sumptuous and nicely layered, it has a beautifully soft-textured finish. Drink this classically styled Russian River Chardonnay now and over the next few years. 100 Cases Produced”
93 Points, Kevin M. Vogt, Master Sommelier
Customers who enjoy Cru9’s Russian River Chardonnay may also enjoy these two terrific Chardonnays…
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SILVERPOINT
2015 CHARDONNAY
SONOMA COAST
Retails at: $45.00/btl
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If the best wines were like a puzzle, this wine would have every piece laid out perfectly. With everything from an accomplished winemaker, iconic vineyard, blockbuster vintage and a terrific price, this wine truly has it all. It was authored by Don Van Staaveren who’s responsible for authoring the Chateau St. Jean wines from ’85-’97, and even made history when his 1996 Cinq Cepages was recognized as the #1 wine on the 1999 Wine Spectator Top 100 list. It was the first Sonoma wine to receive the honor of being the #1 Wine in the World…
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RED MARE
2014 CHARDONNAY
DUTTON RANCH VINEYARD
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY
Retails at: $48.00/btl
Your Price: Join Our Insider List to Unlock Special Offers
A luminous interpretation of Dutton Ranch fruit, the 2014 washes over your palate with classic Granny Smith apple, spiced pear, juicy yellow melon and subtle lemon bar. Big and full across the palate and crafted in a plump, round style, if you’re searching for a top-level California Chardonnay without the high price tag that usually comes with one, I would saddle up and secure a case of Red Mare before this one rides off into the sunset
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2015 Fortune 1621 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
FORTUNE 1621
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2015 NAPA VALLEY
Fortune refers to chance or luck and the new 2015 Fortune 1621 at under thirty will have you experiencing both… Chance is finding a superb Napa Valley Cab that’s both concentrated, deep and long, and available in this favorable price range. Luck is the way you feel the moment this wine touches your lips, giving off a strong feeling of contentment from getting something extra… Revealing concentrated black fruits threaded together with crushed rock, espresso roast and violets, this absolutely classic Napa Cab was authored by Brian Mox, who spent several vintages at Lewis Cellars and he’s also the current winemaker at Laird.
Blossoming more from 18 months in French and American oak barrels, the 2015 arose from multiple carefully chosen vineyards throughout Napa Valley, each selected for their individual characteristics which contribute to the final blend. The 2015 is marked by a dense, concentrated core that’s rarely found at this price… This is one value-driven Napa Cab that I absolutely recommend.
FORTUNE 1621
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2015 NAPA VALLEY
Your Price: $29.99/btl
Winery Notes: “Fresh nose of black cherry, vanilla and touches of mocha. The palate is full bodied with pure notes of cherry, red berry intermingled with caramel and hints of blackberry.”
Customers that would enjoy Fortune 1621’s Napa Valley Cabernet may also enjoy these two stunning Cabs…























